HGTV's Chip Wade is bringing his "curb'' appeal to Birmingham

Chip Wade, of HGTV's "Curb Appeal: The Block,'' will be speak at the Birmingham Home and Garden Show on March 12, at 2 and 7 p.m. and on March 13 at 1 and 4 p.m. (Special)

Chip Wade is full of ideas of how he can update the exterior of a ranch-style box house just north of San Francisco.

He wants to replace the front porch and create a functional living space that complements the existing architecture.

But before he moves on the project, there's one thing he must have.

"I've got to have my coffee or it's a struggle," he laughs, as he sits in his car at 7:30 a.m. with a large vanilla latte by his side.

Wade is the contractor and master carpenter of HGTV's "Curb Appeal: The Block" a weekly show that looks at exterior renovation, landscaping and construction. On this particular day, he and his crew are ready for demolition. It will take seven days to finish the project. The episode will air in June.

Advanced tickets are $7 for adults and $10 at the door. More than 500 exhibitors are slated for the event.

Wade will talk about designing and handling do-it-yourself projects on March 12 at 2 and 7 p.m., and on March 13 at 1 and 4 p.m.

When it comes to fixing up a home's exterior, people should think of the lot as a room and declutter it. That means, getting rid of anything that's blocking the view or anything that's dead, such as foliage. If you don't, it will be like trying to remodel a room that hasn't been cleaned out, he says.

He adds that a simple way to transform a home is to replace, give a new finish or add new color to the front door. "Really, the front door is the gateway to the house and if it's properly lit and it's adequately freshened up, it can really make a huge difference in the overall appeal of the whole house," he says.

He says people also underestimate what a new mailbox can do for a home. "Getting something that's tasteful yet complements the architecture of the home can be the first step in connecting the landscape to the architecture," says Wade, who also appears as a carpenter on HGTV's "Designed to Sell."

The 28-year-old Wade, who lives in Atlanta and tapes "Curb Appeal" in the San Francisco area, says that people should bring questions and photos of their projects to his Birmingham talk. If he has time during the Q&A or meet and greet, he'll give his opinion and even write suggestions on the photos.

"I want to fill in the gaps of what you see on these shows and bring it to what you can tangibly use on your project," he says.

This won't be Wade's first visit to Birmingham. Two years ago, he said he designed and built the entrance to the rhino exhibit at the Birmingham Zoo.